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North Hertfordshire District Council is an area under pressure to accept new housing

North Hertfordshire District Council is in a high-growth area under pressure to accept more new homes than local people want. It recently approved plans for 150 homes at Ivy Farm, Royston.

David Levett, planning portfolio holder for the council, said: "It wasn't the ideal site but on balance we felt that if we refused it and it went to appeal, it would almost certainly be approved by the inspectors.

Mr Levett denied that the costs of an appeal were a factor at Royston.

Housebuilding

Permanent dwellings 2013-14

£242,000

was the average (mix adjusted) price of a property in the UK in 2013

21,050 homes were started by private enterprise, housing associations and local authorities in the East

19,040 homes were completed

27.8m residential properties make up the UK housing market

Source: ONS/DCLG

Other councils claiming to have a five-year land supply have still found their decisions overturned on appeal.

South Cambridgeshire District Council refused plans for 150 new homes at Waterbeach. But the planning inspector later approved them, saying the council could not "demonstrate" a five-year land supply.

Robert Turner, the council's planning portfolio holder, said: "We were very disappointed to see a major decision like that overturned.

"Applications are coming to us and even if we don't like them, and refuse them, the government has obviously got a bigger picture and can grant them on appeal."

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An appeal decision in Clenchwarton, Norfolk, is being taken to judicial review

In Clenchwarton, near King's Lynn, an application for 40 homes was turned down by the Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk because the site was outside the village development boundary and prone to flooding.

But it was allowed on appeal, again, because the inspector said the council could not demonstrate a five-year land supply.

The council, which says it has a seven-year land supply, is taking the appeal decision to judicial review.

'Undersupply exacerbates shortage'

Figures from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) indicate the government estimates about 27,000 homes a year are needed in the east region.

"We estimate that local authorities are planning for around 3,000 fewer homes than this per year," said spokesman Steve Turner.

"However, the number of new homes actually being started is much lower, and we estimate that well under 20,000 new homes were started last year.

"Each year there is an undersupply and this only exacerbates the shortage of homes in the region further."

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Housing development was a key issue in the Clacton by-election

In Essex, Tendring District Council consulted voters before drawing up a draft housing plan recommending 6,000 new homes.

But a government planning inspector said this was not enough - so 12,000 new homes has now been proposed, with a new consultation soon to get under way.

Council leader Mick Page said: "The government is saying housing numbers are down to us as a local authority but really they're not.

"It's government policies which are given to the inspectors who come down here and dictate what they want."

The importance for councils to have a local plan has been stressed by housing minister Brandon Lewis as not enough homes are being built.

He said the Localism Act of 2011 had strengthened the role of councils and abolishing regional housing targets gave people more control over where homes should be built.